“Is it true that sleep-sharing helps train babies to sleep through the night?” Studies suggest babies who sleep with their parents may wake up briefly more often than babies who sleep in another room.

“My friend says the sleep patterns of a baby inside the womb predict her sleep schedule after she is born. Is this true?”There is no scientific evidence that proves or disproves this. This only shows that babies develop a sleep-and-wake cycle before they are born.

“My baby has always been a good sleeper, but lately he has been waking up several times at night. What’s going on?” Some causes of waking at night in previously good sleepers include illness, separation anxiety, or “a looming developmental leap.” Parents need to ensure that the child is getting enough sleep.

“Is it okay to let my infant sleep with a blanket?” Wait until your infant is at least 12 months old before you leave a blanket in her crib, due to the high risk of SIDS. By age 1 year, the risk of suffocation goes down as 12-month-olds are able to roll over and can to grab the blanket away from their face.

If you see the need to use a blanket, choose one with a thin, breathable material. It should be big enough to tuck around both sides and one end of the crib mattress. Cover only her feet and lower half of the body.

“Will my baby sleep better if I add cereal to his bottle at night so she will be full, and not wake up during the night to feed again?”Babies are programmed to wake up often during the night, not only to eat, but also to socialize. Babies won’t be able to sleep through the night until their central nervous system has fully matured, whether or not they have a full tummy. Introducing cereal earlier than 4-6 months puts her at risk for allergies.

“Is it true that you cannot let a baby fall asleep after she hits her head in a fall?” Wait for an hour or so before letting her take a nap. Wake your child up twice each night during the first two nights after the fall. If she’s alert when you wake her up, then it’s unlikely that the fall has caused any serious problems, like bleeding in the brain. If she is groggy or lethargic, or you can’t wake her up, bring her to the emergency room or her doctor for a quick check up.

“My baby is up all night and sleeps all day. How can I get her to switch her schedule?” Your baby’s sleep cycle will normalize as her brain and central nervous system mature. Try these to coax her into a more reasonable schedule:

Set a regular feeding schedule with 3-4 hours interval during the day, and follow this schedule, even if he’s fast asleep. Wake her up for feeding if you need to.